Gary Clark Jr. Riffs On Eric Clapton, Hip-Hop & Fatherhood

GRAMMY-winning blues singer/songwriter on trading licks with blues royalty, live albums, Prince, and his dream ride

Nate Hertweck

GRAMMYs

Sep 29, 2017 - 12:16 pm

The long lineage of electric guitar blues masters, from Muddy Waters to Bonnie Raitt, have left very few stones unturned. Yet somehow, Gary Clark Jr. continues to find new ways to push the instrument, and the genre, forward.

His impassioned, unhinged guitar prowess and soulful songs have vaulted him into the upper echelon of next generation blues troubadours. Fresh off the release of a new live album earlier this year and the tour of a lifetime with Eric Clapton and Jimmie Vaughan this summer, Clark is truly riding high.

Interview: Gary Clark Jr. On Clapton, Junkie XL

We tracked down "Sonny Boy Slim" himself in Los Angeles in advance of his shows with Clapton at the Forum to talk about his love for live albums, touring with his heroes, life as a father, and more.

With two blistering studio albums now in your catalog, why was the time right to record and release a live album this year?
I grew up listening to live albums. Some of my favorite albums are James Brown, Live At the Apollo [and] Jimmy Reed, Live At Carnegie Hall — it's kind of like I feel like I'm a part of that club. Especially blues and jazz music, I think that it's very important to capture those moments because songs can change and evolve. For me, I love to capture that and I just thought it'd be cool. A lot of my fans are super guitar fans and like to hear me switch it up, so I thought it was the perfect thing to release Live North America2016.

Your playing and singing seem driven by deep-rooted passion and sheer inspiration. When you really let go, what are you drawing upon that puts the power of music in your hands and in your voice?
When I'm singing, I'm driven and inspired by things in my life. A song like "Our Love" could be sung very different depending on my relationship at the time or if I'm having a good day or a bad day, you know. I just put it all out there on the stage and it's freeing, it's liberating, to get that feedback from the audience and know that I'm kind of connected, and they feel the same thing. It just kind of pushes me to put it all out there. Nobody wants to come see you be half-a**, you know what I mean? So, give it all. Little Richard said, "Give it all or none," so that's what I'm doing.

You're in the middle of a run of shows with Eric Clapton and Jimmie Vaughan. What has Slowhand meant to you as an inspiration for your music?
To be touring with Eric Clapton is literally a dream come true. My life having some sort of circular path — I was 12 years old when I started playing guitar. And it seemed like a week or two after that there was a show on TV, "Austin City Limits," and I was watching a Stevie Ray Vaughan performance and then that was followed by a tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughan, an incredible guitar player from Texas, and on that tribute it was his brother Jimmie Vaughan, B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Bonnie Raitt, Robert Cray and Eric Clapton. And he did this song "Ain't Gone 'N Give Up On Love" and just his tone and his singing, his guitar solo, it floored me, so I was like 'I want to do that one day.' Whatever that is, I feel like I need to be a part of that.

I wasn't the best athlete, wasn't the best student or whatever, but this was something — I was like, "I want to connect with that." So to be here 20 years later, and be playing these massive venues with Clapton, is very validating for me. I feel proud and I'm honored. It's one of those things: If you put your mind to something you can accomplish it. It's made me feel more confident in my decisions despite the pushback I've gotten from people, you know, "Are you sure you're gonna take that path?" … "Yeah!"

"When I'm singing, I'm driven and inspired by things in my life. I just put it all out there on the stage and it's freeing."

What's it like trading licks with Clapton and Jimmy Vaughan? Any surprises?
Man, to be up there on stage with Jimmie Vaughan and Eric Clapton, going back and forth, sharing solos, it's amazing. It's also intimidating. I'm not as smooth or disciplined as a guitar player so I kind of gotta watch myself and not get a little bit too excited.

It's funny, the first night I sat in with them on the encore I had my reverb all the way up and Clapton goes, 'Man, you're like the king of reverb,' and I was like, that's not a compliment (laughs). So I was like, "Noted." So it's fun and educating.

The other night we were up onstage and I walked out and [there was a] major surprise. You know I've got a signature guitar, an Epiphone Casino, and I walk out and Eric's playing this guitar that I gave him a while back, and it was just kind of —it kind of got me a little bit. I was like, "Wow."

You've jammed with many legends, but who would be the one musician you'd want to share the stage with, living or dead, and why?
I got an invite to go to Paisley Park, and I didn't end up making it, and that hurts a little bit. I absolutely love Prince, and I think that would have been amazing, just to be able to sit and talk and converse about music and you know, maybe somehow it would rub off. Yeah, that's the big one. I think about that every day.

Your recent "Come Together" cover gives the Beatles classic a nice thick coat of grit. What was the inspiration for that treatment of the song?
The approach for the Beatles' "Come Together" track was basically a great artist, Junkie XL. That was basically his blueprint, his foundation. He was already working on the track and had this industrial, powerful, futuristic vibe, and he came in and was like, "You know that fuzzy stuff that you do, let's do that." And it came together — I was thinking about that [pun] before I said it, it was too late (laughs). I gotta give it up to him. He's super creative and [he] let me do my thing and guided me in the perfect way. I think the track is super heavy and it was awesome to work with him, so big up to Junkie XL.

Your son, Zion, is 2 now. How has fatherhood changed you as a man?
Yeah, my boy Zion is going to be 3 in January. It's incredible to see this little guy grow up and soak up the world and spit it out in his own way. It's incredible to watch and it's funny! I'm just laughing all the time. The stuff that comes out of his mouth, you know. His new thing is, "Um … OK … maybe, no." (laughs). I'm like, I want to be upset, but it's awesome, man. He knows what he wants. It's the most amazing thing ever. I could go on and on and on. I love that boy.

Over the summer you hit Snoop Dogg with a shout-out on Twitter. What do you like to listen to outside of the blues genre?
I love hip-hop. Snoop Dogg is one of my [favorites] — you know, I heard Doggystyle when I was a kid and I was like, "What?" Dr. Dre, The Chronic. I grew up listening to Nirvana. But stuff I listen to now, I like Little Dragon, whatever Beyoncé does is fine with me, Kendrick … Courtney Barnett. It's all over the place. I'm all over the place. And I roll around with a bunch of people on a bus and they've got their own influences and so stuff would just kind of seep in. I love it all. I appreciate artists willing to put that forward and [give] their own take on this stuff.

What do you like to do on your day off on tour?
When I have a day off on tour I like to sleep, man. I like to catch up on some sleep, go hang with the boys, go break bread, just vibe and have some laughs, go see some comedy. I love stand-up comedy.

Got any favorite comedians?
[Dave] Chappelle. I'm a big fan of Joe Rogan, I like his perspective, his take.

You posted a picture of your Lincoln Continental on IG last week. What is your dream car?
My dream [car] would fly. So, it'd be like a Continental with wings like a Transformer, something like that. That would be dope. I want that UFO street stuff.

R&B Royalty 112 Talk Diddy, Biggie, Whitney & Brand-New Album

The GRAMMY-winning quartet takes us inside 'Q Mike Slim Daron' and shares stories about the Bad Boy family, Whitney Houston and more

Nate Hertweck

GRAMMYs

Nov 16, 2017 - 10:34 am

As a fixture in R&B music for over two decades, 112 — comprising Quinnes "Q" Parker, Daron Jones, Marvin "Slim" Scandrick, and Michael "Mike" Keith — have made a career of tuning into the frequencies of rhythmic love songs while generating smash hits that resonate on a universal level.

112 Talk New Album 'Q Mike Slim Daron'

When the GRAMMY-winning vocal group headed back into the studio to record their sixth album — their first in more than a decade — they brought an impressive legacy with them. From winning over Sean "Diddy" Combs in a parking lot audition and joining the original Bad Boy Records family to earning the endorsement of the late Notorious B.I.G. and devoted fans worldwide, 112 have proven themselves to be pivotal players in the evolution of R&B. Their latest album, Q Mike Slim Daron, proves the group is still uncovering new wisdom to share on the topic of love, while sending a straightforward musical message of who they are today.

Just hours before their Hollywood, Calif., listening party for their new LP, 112 swung by Recording Academy headquarters in Santa Monica, Calif., to dish on the album's details and tell the real story behind the Bad Boy family, working with Biggie and touring with Whitney Houston.

112 have continued to tour, but why was it important to get back in the studio after over a decade to record a new album?
Jones: Well, just being on the road and being around each other singing [and] being inspired by each other was one of the reasons. But another reason was just running into the fans, and taking pictures, and just kicking it. They would always say, "When's the next album coming?" And just hearing that so many times, you understand that there is a demand for the music, and we were honored [by] that. So we just went ahead and started making some.

"John Lennon said it best: 'You give me a tuba, I'll make some music out of that." And that's pretty much the mantra and the mindset 112 has. You give us two spoons, we'll make some music out of that thing." — Michael Keith

The title of the album, Q Mike Slim Daron, says a lot. How did you arrive at that title?
Scandrick: Well, it was very self-explanatory. On this particular album, we wanted everybody to understand exactly who Q, Mike, Slim, [and] Daron [are]. And you know, on the [other] albums you had one particular person, or maybe two people, who were dominating records. This album right here is probably [our] most well-versed album where you're definitely hearing all four members, and we think that's one of our stronger attributes. You've got four lead singers who can definitely hold their own, and that's pretty much what we [are] doing.

During a recent Breakfast Club interview you claimed you intentionally made this album "as R&B as possible." Tell us about the production process and how the sound of the album came together.
Keith: The production process was really easy for us, because the majority of the producers were fans of 112 growing up. So they already had their interpretation of what they felt like the new album should be. And with them being in the forefront of today's music … it was just a real easy transition. They had the new style, the new sound and 112 had the old-school traditional sound that we're accustomed to doing, and we just meshed it.

Like Q always says, "We're musicians." John Lennon said it best: "You give me a tuba, I'll make some music out of that." That's pretty much the mantra and the mindset 112 has. You give us two spoons, we'll make some music out of that thing. That's the gift that we [have]. To this day, I'm still dumbfounded on how easy it was to get with the producers. And it really was a testament to how these guys looked at 112's situation, listened to our sound, and really were fans and disciples of 112's music. It was just an easy transition.

The new single, "Dangerous Games," explores the complex challenges of relationships, jealousy and adultery in a refreshing, even philosophical way. Where do you guys feel the song stands next to the many hits you've had in the past?
Parker: It's a great addition to the catalog. You think about 21 years of just making great and quality music, and it definitely fits where 112 has been and where we're going. The song is just our take on love. The thing about 112 is we always want to sing about life, love and relationships — the good side, the bad side, the realness of it.

Your music has always tapped into love, human connection and romance. Is technology — texting and social media — making it harder or easier to be romantic now?
Jones: That's a good question. I'll just say it's different. I won't say that it would be easier or harder. But I'll just say it's different and sometimes, over the texts, things can be misunderstood. But at the same time, I think a text message is a great tool, so I respect the advantage of what it is. But I also respect the human connection and being able to just talk to somebody in person. So I think as long as you find that balance you'll be alright. Because technology is good, we love it. But you gotta find that balance between texting and actually talking, because things can get confusing very quickly.

"This album right here is probably [our] most well-versed album, where you're definitely hearing all four members, and we think that's one of our stronger attributes." — Marvin "Slim" Scandrick

After all these years and all the success, what do you think has been the biggest misconception of the Bad Boy family and of Diddy?
Parker: I think one of the biggest misconceptions would probably be the fact that we really are a family. A lot of times people think just because your label makes it, it's just all business. But the Bad Boy artists are really, really family. We can think of instances where we stayed at Faith [Evans'] house. She's come over to cook dinner for us. We've gone out with B.I.G. [Biggie] — he used to give us money to make sure we had food to eat. When Puff [Daddy] would come in and try to rag on us, he'd step in for us.

So on the outside looking in, people could think that we're just label-based, but it really is the Bad Boy family. And it was so evident when we just did that Bad Boy Family Reunion Tour [in 2016]. It was a great thing for the music industry, but also for us as family — just being able to hang out with each other again and sharing the stage together.

Biggie always showed you guys a ton of respect. How does it feel to be part of his larger-than-life hip-hop legacy? What do you miss most about him?
Jones: Man, it's incredible. It's an honor. You know, B.I.G. would always just honor us in his music, to the point where other musicians would say, "Man. You know Biggie [is] always talking about you." He had so many different ways of just shouting us out throughout his music. And he was really like a big brother to us. He was one of the first to rap on one of our songs and usher us into that hip-hop wave that was going on at the time. He was like family to us, and it's definitely a huge honor just to be a part of that legacy. Personally, I got a chance to produce for B.I.G. on his album Life After Death, the song ["F*** You Tonight"] with him and R. Kelly, and that was an honor as well.

112's Water Balloon Fight With Whitney Houston

112 toured with Whitney Houston in 1999. Are there any memories from the tour you'd like to share?
Keith: I got the story for you. … It was supposed to be a show in [Philadelphia], right? The show got canceled. 112 was the reason why. She planned, with her dancers, to ambush 112 in a park with water balloons and Super Soakers and all this other stuff. We had a day off before the show in Philly. And she was like, "Hey, guys. Can y'all meet us at the park? We're gonna eat, we're gonna have fun. We're gonna have fellowship. We're gonna sing." They were plotting our demise.

So it got back to us that "Whitney and the dancers are going to get you guys. They're gonna hit y'all with water balloons, Super Soakers, the whole nine, right?" So we was like, "OK, cool." We go to Toys "R" Us, we grab every last Super Soaker, the little 50-cent water guns and everything — just for ammunition. We came ready for war. So we found them, they came with the water balloons and stuff like, "Ah, we're gonna get y'all," and just started wetting everybody. Whitney, she got hit by a balloon and she got sick, so she couldn't sing the next day. That was the reason why she couldn't perform, and we blame nobody but ourselves. We was attacked, man. We had to protect ourselves! (laughs)

What can fans expect in terms a tour supporting of the new album?
Scandrick: Oh, man, [it will be] very explosive. Right now, if you listen to Q Mike Slim Daron, we have a couple of people on there and one of the big collaborations that we have is between us and Jagged Edge. That was a fan favorite. People wanted to see this. Matter of fact, we wanted to do it. We've been wanting to do it and this time this is our platform. So we put this together and said, "Imagine if Boyz II Men and Jodeci would have done something? Or Four Tops and Temptations?" Well, you know, why not 112? So we wanted to do something very different: the 112, Jagged Edge tour. We're [going to] put a little twist to it. Not [going to] give y'all any clues, but it's [going to] be something you've probably never seen. It's about to very amazing, so buckle your seat belts, dress up, put on your hard bottles, and get ready.

Today At The Crossroads: How Clarksdale, Miss., Keeps Blues Alive

With rich history, fresh talent and growing tourism, the Delta blues mecca is alive and well

Nate Hertweck

GRAMMYs

Oct 30, 2017 - 11:54 am

More than eight decades after Robert Johnson allegedly went down to the crossroads to sell his soul to the devil so he could play guitar, Clarksdale, Miss., continues to be the epicenter of the blues.

Bobby Rush: Best Traditional Blues Album speech

While the legend of Johnson's deal with the devil is memorialized by a roadside monument on the edge of town, today's booming blues scene is the real reason to travel down Highway 61 to visit Clarksdale.

Clarksdale is keeping the blues alive with live music seven nights a week at the one-and-only Juke Joint Festival, while also honoring it's storied past with the Delta Blues Museum. Considering Clarksdale is just a 45-minute drive from the GRAMMY Museum Mississippi in Cleveland, Miss., true music aficionados should put the Mississippi Delta at the top of their travel list.

A recent episode of NPR's Jazz Night In America travels to Clarksdale to explore the key players in today's revitalized blues scene, including Terry "Harmonica" Bean, Anthony "Big A" Sherrod and 18-year-old blues prodigy Chistone "Kingfish" Ingram. Fueled by a blend of talent and tourism, and with the support of Clarksdale mayor Bill Luckett and Juke Joint Blues Festival Founder Roger Stolle, Clarksdale is finally beginning to enjoy the benefits of its rich history and bright future.

The War On Drugs: Adam Granduciel On New Album, Guitar & Tom Petty

The low-key frontman talks shop on recording his band's latest release, 'A Deeper Understanding,' guitar candy and traveling the world

Nate Hertweck

GRAMMYs

Oct 13, 2017 - 5:48 pm

Music is inextricably tied to location. From the Bakersfield sound and Seattle grunge to New York hardcore punk and West Coast rap, a city and its culture can shape a scene. For psychedelic-rock band The War On Drugs, the soulful and experimental musical mecca of Philadelphia has been home since their formation in 2005.

The War On Drugs: How Neil Young Inspired New LP

So when it came time for frontman Adam Granduciel to start creating what would become the band's fourth studio album, A Deeper Understanding, the choice to record in Los Angeles was truly a musical one. Rock albums by Granduciel's heroes, including Neil Young and Warren Zevon, captured a different sentiment that drew him in and ultimately helped shape the band's most inventive album to date, which Rolling Stone described as "an abstract-expressionist mural of synth-pop and heartland rock colored by bruised optimism and some of [Granduciel's] most generous, incandescent guitar ever."

We sat down with Granduciel recently at Recording Academy headquarters to talk about L.A.'s influence on A Deeper Understanding, how he likes to see the world on tour, what he'd ask Jimmy Iovine, and his parting thoughts on the loss of Tom Petty.

A Deeper Understanding's sonic layers are lush and mesmerizing but the songs they're built on are crafty, beautiful and dark. What was the biggest difference in the songwriting process between this album and 2013's Lost In The Dream?
I just wanted to be more prepared on my end so that if I was writing more and demoing stuff more, I could present [ideas] to the band and the spontaneity in the recording could be of a different sort.

I rented out my own studio in Los Angeles and tried to go every day, whether it [was] writing on the piano or guitar or work on demos. I started eight months before [while] on the road. I just ended up having more songs than I ever had in the past.

There's so much guitar candy on this record. What were the specific guitar influences for this album?
We did this benefit where Neil Young played as well. He was playing his classic Gretsch White Falcon guitar with the Bigsby [tremolo]. We were watching the dress rehearsal from the side stage. I was actually sitting on his amp rig and watching him rehearse. He was just going off with [the] bar. I was like, "Oh, it's so expressive." I have the same guitar but mine didn't have the bar. After that show, I put the Bigsby on that Gretsch of mine. Then, two nights later, we recorded three songs that are on the record. A lot of the inspiration [came] from that expressive quality of that Bigsby but I was [also] just thinking about all my favorite players, whether it was Neil or Mike Campbell — guys that use that bar and just try to find another way to connect with the guitar.

Speaking of Neil Young, in a Pitchfork interview you name-checked him and Warren Zevon for making "L.A. records." What effect do you think recording in L.A. had on A Deeper Understanding?
Well, I think a few things. First, I would always think of an L.A. record as "sunny" or something, but then I started thinking, "Well, my favorite records that were made here are dark and sad and lonely." I never really lived here before, so I didn't really think I understood. I think from an East Coast point of view, you'd be like, "Oh, a California record's a sunny record." It's like you spend three hours in the studio because the rest of the time you must be at the beach.

[But] the cool thing was that, unlike any other city, there [are] all these places in L.A. There are so many resources for a recording musician, like studios of all levels, you know? [There are] so many world-class studios, but I would never have been able to have rented the place that I rented out anywhere else. It was just this mid-level studio that is pretty much a stand-alone building on the East side with a really great mic collection, Pro Tools and two rooms. It wasn't fancy, but it was perfect for what I needed. I was able to bring my own stuff in. The ability to work every day was a big part of L.A.'s effect on my process and the band coming out from Philly once a month.

You have a fan in Jimmy Iovine. Have you met the man before? What would you ask him if you could?
Actually, I have, but in the moment I wasn't prepared to ask him anything. I guess I'm just a huge fan of all the records he made in the 70's. … Now, he's [a] larger-than-life figure but back then he was just like a kid who loved music and was probably just like all of us — trying to find out how to make a record. There's no formula for it. I guess I [would ask him about working with] Bruce [Springsteen] making Darkness [On The Edge Of Town].

You're on the road now, going across the U.S. and then heading to Europe. When you get to a town, what do you like to do to get a sense of the culture?
I like going out to find a local coffee shop. It's embarrassing to admit that I have an app called Beanhunter, which tells me the closest single-origin coffee I can get. Last tour, I really got into the whole sub-culture. I had the hand grinder and the single origin — then the Aeropress [coffee maker] and the scale.

I also love trying to find an awesome guitar shop because I just like to go in and play guitar for an hour or two. [And] record stores. Now, we actually have a backstage record player we tour with in its own case, so it makes buying records on the road a little easier because you actually can be like, "Oh, I want something to pump me up for tonight's show," or "tomorrow when we load in, I want to chill out to this."

One last question: We lost the great Tom Petty recently. How important was he to you as a songwriter and as an artist?
[He's] one of my favorites. ... He had a catalog of hits before I was of age. Then, when I was in my teens, Wildflowers came out [in 1994] — maybe to some it was like a new kind of Tom Petty, but it hit me so intensely when that record came out. It was like a reintroduction to a lot of different kinds of music for me. His band was so important to him. The Heartbreakers were what you imagine being in a band would be like — best buddies and great players and guys who took it all really seriously.

As he grew older, his material was just as relevant and just as exciting and the band's just as killer. … It seems surreal that there's no more Tom Petty, in person. It's true that the music lives on because [with] a guy like that, [there are] centuries of information there.

21 Savage On 'Issa Album,' Jay-Z, & Business

The "Bank Account" rapper talks about his debut full-length, lists his favorite ATL rappers and drops his hip-hop philosophy

Nate Hertweck

GRAMMYs

Oct 12, 2017 - 11:32 am

At this point in the rich history of rap music, it's abundantly clear that there are many styles of the art form, with many more yet to be explored. The through-line is that successful rappers seem most confident at being one thing: themselves.

21 Savage On Jay-Z's Ability To Stay Relevant

Enter 21 Savage. The Atlanta-based chartbuster with two No. 1 singles already, and a style — and swagger — all his own has been the man in-demand this year. Basically, if you haven't heard "Bank Account," or any one of Savage's collab hits with Drake, Post Malone or Future, you haven't been listening.

His debut full-length, Issa Album, just dropped in July, and it's all Savage — no features, no guests. But the rapper downplays this bold statement of standing on his own. "The way I look at it, it's just new music," Savage said of his latest release during a recent visit to the Recording Academy headquarters.

Issa Album also had the distinct pleasure — or perhaps challenge — of dropping the same day as Jay-Z's 4:44. Going toe-to-toe with Hova like that could not have been easy, but certain high-profile fans such as Los Angeles Lakers point guard Lonzo Ball gave 21 the edge. Ball said, "21 Savage's [album] is bumping more" than Jay's, causing quite the storm of reactions from the hip-hop and sports worlds. Savage's reaction to Ball's bold claim? Simple.

"That's how he feels, that's what it is. He likes it, that's his opinion."

But make no mistake, the young rapper has plenty of respect for Jay-Z.

"He grows, his music grows with him," Savage says of Jay-Z's ability to stay relevant. "He ain't just rapping about the same thing he was rapping about when he first came out, so that's what keeps it interesting, because as he grows as a man and does more stuff business-wise, he applies that to the music, so that's why I think he's been able to grow like that and stay around."

The album's first hit is also 21 Savage's biggest to date, "Bank Account." According to him, the process in the studio was a straightforward one.

"[Producer] Metro [Boomin] helped me make the beat and then he pulled it up and I started recording."

Savage and Metro have come up together, and both have become highly sought-after collaborators. Forbes recently even went as far as to suggest Metro might be "the next big star in hip-hop."

The raw bravado and fierce individuality behind 21 Savage's music has also helped him out on the business side. The deal he leveraged is remarkable, as he was able to stay independent with his label Slaughter Gang while landing distribution with Epic Records and keeping 100 percent ownership of his masters.

"I just go in with my best interest at heart," Savage says of the unprecedented terms he secured. "We went back and forth until we could get it to where I was comfortable. That's just the way it goes."

A native of Atlanta, Savage is quick to name his top five ATL rappers in the game right now: Future, Young Thug, Gucci Mane, Migos, and Young Nudy. But Savage's style stands out, reinforcing his philosophy.

"I feel like the game just don't respect us like they're supposed to. Y'all want everyone in the rap game to rap like each other," Savage told Genius. "Respect all the music the same, just because a n***** is not lyrical, that doesn't mean that it's not a good song, or it's not good music. If everybody was lyrical, everybody's songs would sound the same."

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This philosophy on hip-hop opens the door for 21 Savage to go anywhere he wants from here. His next move takes him on a 22-city U.S. tour that starts Nov. 16 in Austin, Texas, and includes an appearance at the first ever Rolling Loud Festival in San Bernardino, Calif. alongside Future, Lil Uzi Vert, and Rae Sremmurd.

While Savage’s lasting impact on rap remains in the balance, his infectious shot of success this year is undeniable.

Some of the content on this site expresses viewpoints and opinions that are not those of the Recording Academy. Responsibility for the accuracy of information provided in stories not written by or specifically prepared for the Academy lies with the story's original source or writer. Content on this site does not reflect an endorsement or recommendation of any artist or music by the Recording Academy.